Sea salt and Himalayan salt are two different types of salt. Sea salt is extracted by evaporating seawater, whereas Himalayan salt is mined from areas close to the Himalayas (often in Pakistan).
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE: They don’t contain the same amount of helpful elements.
Below you’ll find their main differences explained in detail and you’ll also find the answer to the question: Which one of these two salts is better for your health? (The answer might surprise you.)
Sea Salt Vs Himalayan Salt
1. Minerals
Sea salt is mostly composed of sodium chloride, and it’s minimally processed. High-quality sea salt contains 84 trace minerals including potassium, iron, and calcium that help nourish and strengthen our body. It also doesn’t contain lead or mercury that may be found in some other salts.
On the other hand, Himalayan salt has lower amounts of sodium chloride than sea salt, but it has higher amounts of other minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, bromide, borate, strontium, and fluoride.
2. Color
Himalayan salt comes in tones that range from light pinkish to orange and red due to mineral impurities in the salt.
Sea salt is white in color but can also have grayish and yellow tones. Of course, the colors of the salts can also depend on the location of their extraction.
3. Extraction method
Sea salt and Himalayan salt come from two completely different extraction methods, and they are both unrefined. Sea salt is evaporated, whereas Himalayan salt is mined like Kosher salt:
• Sea salt is extracted by evaporating sea water in man-made pools under the sun. The result is various sizes of sea salt crystals.
• Himalayan salt is made from rock crystals of salt that have been mined from areas close to the Himalayas, often in Pakistan. The Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan is one of the oldest salt mines in the world.
4. Use
SEA SALT is used in various dishes and most popularly on roasted veggies, steaks, burgers, fish, Kennebec fries, and chocolate-based desserts. You can also use it as an alternative in Accent seasoning when making it at home.
Apart from being used in the kitchen, sea salt is also used for salt baths which are believed to be beneficial for people with muscle pain, aching joints, arthritis, etc.
HIMALAYAN SALT is used for cooking (meat, poultry, eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables), food representation, decorative lamps, or spa treatments. Here are a few healing ways to use Himalayan salt.
5. Health
Both sea salt and Himalayan salt have their own health benefits.
Here are some health benefits of sea salt:
• Boosts the immune system
• Enhances cardiac functioning
• Promotes digestion
• Rejuvenates skin
• Relieves stress…
Some health benefits of Himalayan salt include the following:
• Improves respiratory diseases
• Regulates blood pressure
• Balances your body’s pH
• Reduces signs of aging
• Regulates blood sugar…
Is Himalayan Salt Better Than Sea Salt?
Sea salt is less expensive than Himalayan salt, but which one is better for your health?
Even though sea salt contains fewer helpful elements than Himalayan salt, this doesn’t make it less healthy. Here’s how the Healthy explains this:
“However, while pink Himalayan salt is composed of a greater number of helpful elements than sea salt, ‘the trace minerals that give unique taste or coloration are present in too minute a quantity to have any proven health impact,’ says Dr. Li.”
Another important element in this story is SODIUM CHLORIDE:
“According to Dr. Li, ‘salt, chemically known as sodium chloride, regardless of its source is vital for health. Salt helps our body regulate blood pressure, assist in nerve function, and helps your cells perform their function to keep organs healthy.’”
Given that both sea salt and Himalayan salt are great sources of sodium chloride, neither one of these salts is proven to be better for your health. They are both equally beneficial, so select the salt according to your own preferences!
Which Type Of Salt Do You Prefer?
Salt is the basic element for almost every dish. Sea salt and Himalayan salt may have some differences regarding color or extraction method, but they are both beneficial for your health.
I prefer using Himalayan salt when I’m preparing chicken, and I use sea salt when I’m preparing fish. The key word here is PREFERENCE. What I’m trying to say is that both salts can be used in all types of dishes, and the only difference lies in your preference.
